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WEAR stylists say goes,” says B/W/R’s Matt Meyerson, a product placer. “I sent clothes to [model] Beth Os trosky for her fiance, Howard Stern, and though she thought he’d love them, she said, ‘We’ll only know when his stylist gets back from vacation.’ ” MEET THE POWER STYLISTS Phillip Bloch was arguably the first to see and ex ploit the nexus between designers, stars and the red carpet and the publicity that resulted was a win win for all involved. Hollywood took notice of him at the 1997 Oscars, when he had 11 big-name clients, from Will Smith to Sandra Bullock to Angela Bassett. In 2002, Bloch asked little-known designer Elie Saab to hold a sheer-topped burgundy satin gown from his collection so it would be seen first when Halle Berry wore it to the Oscars. The gamble worked for both. Suddenly, Saab was someone. TVendmeister Rachel Zoe gained buzz positive and negative for her clients who shrank physically as their fame grew. “Zoe- II bots” hiding behind huge designer bags, head scarves and oversized shades have included Sienna Miller and Lohan. Zoe’s most remark able transformation? Nicole Richie, who went | j from Paris Hilton’s chubby sidekick to a sleek / mama-to-be. Jennifer Rade, stylist to Brad Pitt, An- | gelina Jolie and Pink, has upped the stars’ Ifc cool and helped Kasil’s sales of skinny j , jeans quadruple when Pitt wore them. Jessica Paster dresses Cate Blanchett A in classics and Kate Hudson in beach-chic, VA while Cristina Ehrlich and Estee Stanley have helped Maiy-Kate and Ashley Olsen create their boho-homeless chic look and made Jessica Biel and Penelope Cruz dazzle at award shows. Robert Verdi pointed Eva Longoria toward swimsuits with cutouts. And .' ; K Alexander Allen East Coast styl- ist to Beyonce, Shakira and Toni Braxton “invented Eve, the rap per,” Verdi says, taking her from street to red carpet chic in Paco Rabanne. LONGORIA ANO VEBOt: ROGtR WALSH, LANDOV, DtA2 IN D«f SS H£NKV LAMB PWOTOWI«E/3BMAG£S. DIAZ IN BMNt ANDREW SHNMAF. R4GFICCQASTNEWS.COM: MADONNA M DRESS: GREGG OEGUME. WMBMAGE; MADONNA IN T-SHWT: COURTESY DON ED HARD* FROM STAR TO STORE TO YOU In the end, it’s all about money. “Stars are walking billboards. They’re millions of dollars of free advertising around I the world,” says Dana Thomas, Neivs week’s fashion reporter and author J of Deluxe. The phenomenon also puts a lot of pressure on stars, who, JL in their desire to look good, turn to the W 2 professionals not just for evening wear, ft but also for their most basic clothing ■ items and accessories. Sales spike after star sightings, Mey erson says: “If a celebrity wears an item, it implies they love it, and it must be great.” He fuels the buzz by posting pics on the Web of celebs wearing his clients’ fashions. Soon, weeklies, fashion magazines and websites from here to Aus- i tralia and China run the | images, and sites like j Ja PL StarStyle.com tell you € where to buy it ' By controlling a J Hi celeb’s entire closet, 2 kJ|stylists influence even i seemingly minor sash- " f 1 ] ion choices. “Within j six weeks, Le Doux, a j fledgling brand, sold SIOO,OOO IlltlSillSg ' worth of two bikini styles gSaArtA;:,- \ Cameron Diaz wore in Ha- waii,” Meyerson says. “At the next trade show, Dillard’s and everyone knew the brand and sought it out” [ For the average non-famous Madonna's most recent influence on fashion? ■ Ed Hardy T-shirts MM sporting Sf vintage >* J, tattoo L i designs. * * -V' ' ’ ' ' flMi V HI ■ shopper, “celebs have become their personal stylists. They show what looks cool and how to put it all to gether” says Lezley Goldbaum, fashion editor for the retail trade’s Tobe Report. Stores have to keep tabs on Richie in head scarves, Cameron in bikinis, Madonna in vintage tattoo-laden Ed Hardy T-shirts and Mary-Kate Olsen in white plastic-rimmed Ray-Ban Wayfarers or they risk falling behind. “Our customer likes to be part of the buzz, so we keep our budget liquid to move and groove within the season,” says Ann Watson, vice president and fashion director at New York’s Henri BendeL Although they had never carried Wayfarers, Bendel jumped on the bandwagon, devoting a Fifth Avenue window to the newly fashionable glasses. Target also seizes the moment, and when Jessica Simpson, Lon goria and others carried the Marc Jacobs hobo bag, the bargain-conscious big-box store knocked it off at a lower price. Continued on next page When Mary-Kate Olsen made white Ray-Ban Wayfarers a wardrobe staple, fashionistas snapped them up. USA WEEKEND • Oct 5-7,2007 OLSEN M DRESS FERNANDO AUINOE. NY KJST/SfLASK OLSEN M SUNGLASSES: LONDON ENTEITCUNMENT/SHASH NEWS 7